You have a long experience in aviation, how would you describe CANSO and what is its role?
Yes, I have worked in aviation for many years, at BAE Systems, Airbus and at IATA. This previous experience has given me good insights into the world of air traffic management from the perspective of the manufacturers and the airlines. In particular, at IATA I was responsible for achieving significant reductions in airport costs and air navigation charges for IATA Member airlines. This has enabled me to see the ATM industry as other parts of the aviation industry see us.
CANSO is the global voice of air traffic management (ATM). We are a not for profit trade association with a steadily increasing membership. Members include not only air navigation service providers (ANSPs) but also organisations that provide goods and services to the ATM industry. 
CANSO's aim is to transform global ATM performance to achieve a globally harmonised and interoperable air navigation system capable of delivering a safe, efficient and seamless airspace. We are delivering this through Vision 2020, our strategic framework for the ATM industry. This is supported by the CANSO Work Plan with around 140 deliverables across the areas of enhancing safety, improving operations, and developing policy.

What activities are performed by CANSO with and in support to members?
CANSO is organised into workgroups and task forces under the areas of safety, operations and policy through which our Members share best practice; disseminate information and guidance; and develop new policies. This include providing guidance on key ATM areas such as protection from cyber threats; mitigating the impact of noise from aircraft; emergency response best practice; improving the crossing of boundaries between Flight Information Regions by aircraft; and implementing performance based navigation (PBN).
We also provide training and workshops on subjects such as implementing the ICAO Aviation System Block Upgrades; designing safety management systems; and implementing PBN. We produce a range of conferences across the regions and on safety and operations. Our flagship event is World ATM Congress, which we organise in partnership with ATCA. This year we saw over 7,000 people attend the event which had 225 exhibitors as well as numerous workshops and education sessions.
CANSO represents its Members' views to a wide range of aviation stakeholders, including the International Civil Aviation Organization, where we have official Observer status.

You manage an organization that has a global and a regional dimension. What are the challenges you have to face?
CANSO Members span the globe and support over 85% of world air traffic. The enormous diversity in regions, countries, cultures; and the size and maturity of ANSPs means that there is no "one size fits all" solution to the challenges facing our industry. That is why CANSO and its Members work across all levels: globally with ICAO and the major industry organisations; and regionally with regional organisations and States to address the challenges and find effective solutions. A major challenge is the growth in air traffic and our task is to provide the ATM infrastructure to manage the annual growth rate of over five percent. The deliverables in the Vision 2020 Work Plan are helping us to improve the efficiency of airspace.
One of our biggest challenges is political. It is hard work persuading governments to take the necessary steps to improve the efficiency of aviation. We see this in Europe with the frustratingly slow progress toward the realisation of the Single European Sky.
Another challenge is that much airspace is reserved to the military and is out of bounds to civil air traffic. This is a particular problem in the fragmented airspace of the Middle East where 40-50 percent of airspace is for military use. We are calling for more flexible use of airspace.
And of course there is the problem of terrorism and war. Conflict in the Middle East has resulted in traffic being diverted to avoid conflict zones, putting additional pressures on neighbouring ANSPs and lengthening flight times with the resulting extra expenditure on fuel and increased CO2 emissions. We continue to work with ICAO and industry partners to improve the flow of information about risks to aircraft in conflict zones.

The aviation world is evolving quickly, what is your view on the future role of ANSPs and aviation in general and what role you see for CANSO?
Doing things as we have always done them in ATM is no longer an option. ANSPs have to anticipate and adapt to the changing face of aviation. Technology is already changing the role of ANSPs. Technology helps to harmonise systems, processes and traffic flows in a global way without reference to national borders or even land based equipment. In 2018, we will see the introduction of space-based ADS-B which will enable surveillance in oceanic and remote areas not currently covered. Technology will enable greater harmonisation of airspace but also makes ATM more resilient to catastrophes whether natural or man-made. The ANSPs in UK and Ireland have successfully managed traffic in each other's airspace; and remote tower technology means there is no reason why an airport could not be successfully managed from a different country.

The impact of this new technology means that the traditionally high costs of entry to the ATM market will fall. As new technology moves the industry away from costly control towers and radars towards satellite and remote or smart tower technology, it will be easier for new companies to provide air traffic services and compete with the traditional ANSP. The question is, whether governments will allow a greater degree of competition.

Airlines and airports have been largely liberalised for many years, but for ATM the story is very different: ATM is still largely limited by State boundaries; it is almost entirely run by State-owned ANSPs; and there is very little competition. However, I do see this gradually changing. In Europe we are seeing a move towards greater competition in the provision of some support services as well as in the provision of terminal air navigation services. In Spain, where there was a competitive tender for the provision of tower services, the costs are half that of the previous regulated regime.
CANSO's role is to help provide the framework that will ensure air traffic management is fit for purpose in a changing industry. This includes advocating to States: that airspace should be organised, and air navigation services delivered in line with the operational requirements of airspace users rather than according to national borders; that ANSPs should be allowed to act as normal businesses, without being dependent on government budgets and being able to focus on the customer; and that there should be a performance driven approach to ATM, including in particular the regulatory framework.